If wild populations of Sumatran Tigers didn’t already face enough threats, new road construction may be another risk.

Current threats such as poaching for their body parts to be used in traditional Chinese medicines, a reduced prey base, and widespread illegal logging for palm oil and paper products could soon be joined by an  the Indonesian Government proposal to build  four major access roads through Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP).  KSNP hosts not only the critically endangered Sumatran Tiger but also many other threatened species such as the Sumatran Rhino, Sumatran Elephant, Malaysian Tapir and Sunda Clouded Leopard.  There is approximately 350 Sumatran Tigers remaining in the wild, KSNP holds a significant percentage of those and encouragingly this population is increasing.

Already 200,000ha of KSNP has been destroyed by illegal logging for the conversion to agricultural land.  Should this proposal be approved, it will spell disaster for the Sumatran Tigers that call KSNP home and the impacts will be far-reaching.  These proposed roads will provide greater access into the dense forest allowing poachers to penetrate further into the jungle in search of the tigers, whilst also making adequate protection of the park increasingly difficult.

Despite KSNP being protected by law, Indonesia’s declaration that  the building of any roads in protected areas is illegal, and despite Indonesia’s 2010 commitment to the Global Tiger Recovery Program, this proposal is still being considered by the Forestry Department of Indonesia.

Please show your support for Sumatran Tiger conservation and sign the online petition and ask the Indonesian government to reject this proposal. 

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/do-not-damage-the-national-parks-of-indonesia/

Monique - Keeper